Ok, im doing a dry (wet) run on my new March pump. I don't have a sculpture, just going to use it to transfer sparge water, and pump through cfc. I put my old turkey fryer (it came with a spigot attached) up approx 3 feet in the air and put 5 gallons of cold water in it. Then I put the pump on the floor below, and ran the output hose to my boil kettle, which sits on a stand approx 16 inches off the floor. When I open the valve on the turkey fryer water barley trickles out, but if I disconnect the hose it comes out normally. It won't supply enough water to prime the friggin pump even though the water is falling straight down! What gives? Im using the McMaster Carr brass coolant disconnects, with 1/2" tubing.

Its a non priming pump, meaning it wont pump air. Make sure your pump is below the outlet you are pumping from. Open all valves and let the liquid run through the pump and start up the output tubing. Turn pump on for a few seconds then shut it back off. Let any air bubbles make their way up the tubing. Turn back on and you should be good to go. Unless you need to repeat a few times.

You'll get the hang of it

edit

*do you have ball valves on the output of the pump? Make sure those are open if you do. How is your pump orientated? Vertically? Horizontally?

*do you have ball valves on the output of the pump? Make sure those are open if you do. How is your pump orientated? Vertically? Horizontally?

Yes I do, it was open. The pump sits on the floor horizontally. All valves were open but water was just trickling out. I finally disconnected the output end (at boil kettle) and blew air through it, which caused the water to come pouring out.
That may get trickier with 180f water going through the lines.

One other question. my hlt is to small to do 12 gallon batches, I was going to put first runnings and first batch sparge (i do 2 equal sparges) into hlt (9gallons) then pump wort into boil kettle after the second batch sparge was pumped from kettle to cooler. Im using a hop stopper, will I have to worry about aerating the wort as it gets pumped through the stainless mesh? Good grief, this pump is going to save my back, but it is sure causing a lot of additional planning.

it really shouldn't. Just get yourself some cold water and continue doing trial runs. They take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, its simply flip a switch and you are good to go.

Im still trying to picture your setup. Do you have any photos? Im wondering why water is just trickling out of your kettle. Is there a siphon tube in your kettle?

it really shouldn't. Just get yourself some cold water and continue doing trial runs. They take a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, its simply flip a switch and you are good to go.

Im still trying to picture your setup. Do you have any photos? Im wondering why water is just trickling out of your kettle. Is there a siphon tube in your kettle?

I have a hop stopper in the kettle, but the water was stuck in the turkey fryer (hlt). Some how air was trapped in the spigot, because as soon as i disconnected the kettle and blew through the line/pump/back into hlt, it started pouring out. I just put everything away, but I think i'll be brewing my first 12 gallon batch on Tuesday, if I have problems i'll take pics of my steup and post. Thanks for the help.

I have a hop stopper in the kettle, but the water was stuck in the turkey fryer (hlt). Some how air was trapped in the spigot, because as soon as i disconnected the kettle and blew through the line/pump/back into hlt, it started pouring out. I just put everything away, but I think i'll be brewing my first 12 gallon batch on Tuesday, if I have problems i'll take pics of my steup and post. Thanks for the help.

What size are those kettles you have for that 12 gallon batch your about to brew? I'm just in the thinking and $$$$$ stage wanting to end up with two two 5 gallon corny's filled with 5 gallons plus allowing spillage? This also with being able to handle big grain bills like a Old Rasputin Russian Stout.

Post pictures with results and volumes thruout the brew if you can
or have time i'm intrested. Thanks. Carl.....=o&o>......

What size are those kettles you have for that 12 gallon batch your about to brew? I'm just in the thinking and $$$$$ stage wanting to end up with two two 5 gallon corny's filled with 5 gallons plus allowing spillage? This also with being able to handle big grain bills like a Old Rasputin Russian Stout.

Post pictures with results and volumes thruout the brew if you can
or have time i'm intrested. Thanks. Carl.....=o&o>......

My brewpot is 20 gallons! (yes it's to big, but I got a good deal on it). The turkey fryer ( my old brewpot now hlt) is 35 quart. I also use a 52 quart cooler to mash in. I will take pics on brewday.

If you hard plumb a brew sculpture then you need to tee off the inlet and outlet of the pump and put a valve and dump tubes. This outlet dump valve is for draining the pipes of water (pump off) and to get a good prime of the pump when starting it up. This dump will make sure that the pump has solid water or wort in it before you turn on any valve above the pump level. The pump must be located well below any vessel you pump from. Orient the pump with the inlet down towards the ground. The inlet dump valve is for draining the inlet line and the pump.

I have a love hate relationship with my march pump. I love it when it works, but sometimes I just hate the stupid thing. Recently I turned the head of the pump so the in points straight down to the ground and the out points straight up. The theory is the air bubbles will exit more readily. It seems to help alot! I did this my last brew. I did have to turn the pump off, wait a few sec, then turn it back on a few times once, but for the most part it works MUCH better now! Hope this advise helps!

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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. They wake up in the morning and that's as good as they're going to feel all day." -Dean Martin

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFlyingBeer

...no sense hauling empty carboys around when full ones take up just as much space. :)